27 Nov 2006

Technological "Solution" to Drunk Driving

[This was originally submitted as a Slashdot FP story but wasn’t
accepted.]

The U.S.-based anti-drunk-driving group Mothers Against
Drunk Driving (MADD) has announced its new campaign this week, which
prominently features technological measures against drunk driving. In
particular, MADD is planning a nationwide call for wider use of
“ignition interlocks,” devices which require a driver to blow into a
Breathalyzer in order to start their car, for all convicted drunk
drivers and not just repeat offenders. However, the group sees this as
only the first stage in a wider plan, which would eventually make
Breathalyzer-like devices standard equipment in all U.S. automobiles.
According to the N.Y. Times article: “Ms. Ferguson said the most
promising technologies would work automatically, like air bags.”
Automatic, mandatory alcohol sensing has received support from the
Governors Highway Safety Association, whose chairman was quoted as
saying “When 40 percent of all our crashes are alcohol-involved, I don’t
think it’s going to be that difficult of a sell.”

As several people who
commented on this pointed out, there’s really no
end to why this is a bad idea. First, the interlocks cost substantial
sums of money to calibrate (apparently about $75/mo.), which would be
picked up by taxpayers, and they’re trivial to defeat. All I see in this
plan would be an expensive, false sense of security, and a distraction
from more effective plans.